Pump



May 2,1944. CJROTTER E'rAL 2,348,151

PUMP

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Y L. C. ROTTER ErAL ruma Filed May 26, 1941 4 sneek-sheet 2 Se N l l I l -Al Tl .l i

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May 2, 1944.

L c. RoT'rER x-:TAL 2,348,151

PUMP y Filed May ze, 1941 FIG .4;

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ma? 2, 1944- Y l.. c. R01-TER er1-A1` 2,348,151

PUMP

Filed May'ze, 1941 4` sheets-sheet 4V FIG. IO.

Patented May 2, 1944 UNITED STATES WAT'E'NT OFFICE PUMP ration of Missouri Application May 26, 1941, LSeri'al No..395,136

3 Claims.

This invention relates to pumps, and withfregard to certain more specific features, to improvements upon the pump disclosed in the United States Patent 2,280,708 of Victor G. Klein and Jonathan Kludt, dated April 21, 1942, for Pump.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a pump for pumping heavy, semi-plastic and similar materials from containers to applicator nozzles and the like; the provision of apparatus of the class described which eliminates spurting at the start of application and which provides for a continuous and even iiow after said start; and the provision of apparatus of the class described which obtain said results with materials of various heavy consistencies requiring various substantial delivery pressures. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated inthe following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of Various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a Yperspective View showing dotted lines a commercial drum from which pumping is accomplished;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section 'of a flow Acontrol Dump;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rightsideelevation of Fig. 2, parts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line ll'=4ofFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a control nozzle;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line -6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a left-end View of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic vertical section of a control valve;

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Fig. 8 showing the Valve set to an alternative position; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing typical relative size ratios of certain parts for obtaining the results desired.

Similar reference lcharacters indicate 4corresponding parts throughout rthe several Vviews of the drawings.

Said Patent No. 2,280,708, shows broadly an open commercial container located in var `supporting frame. On the top of the frame and above the container is a cylinder Vwherein is a pneumatic-piston. This piston is operable up and i-t, and by means of a piston rod supports .an assembly of an engine, pump and follower plate. During operation, the follower plate rests upon the surface 'of `the viscous material in the c'ontainer and is biased down by the sum of the weight of the pump and engine and the force of Vany -a'ir introduced above said piston. Operation of the engine causes the pump to withdraw material through a central opening iin the follower plate and force the materialto an outlet. As the material is exhausted from under the follower plate the plate which is loosely tted into `the container descends into the container and thus always places priming pressure upon the material as it enters the pump. The present device includes similar parts, similarly indexed but not show-n in as great detail as in said application, since already shown in saidpatent application and since the improvements lie in features applied to the stated broad outline of parts.

Referring nowmore particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral l a commercial container for semi-plastics, suchrasluting or caulking compounds, putty, or the like. It is desired that these be smoothly exuded from a nozzle N, directly to the point of use, as for example in glazing or sealing cracks, etc.

Numerals 3 and 5 show supporting plates between which are spacing and supporting pillars l. These form a supporting frame -in which are tension holders IIJI for the container I.

On the upper plate 5 is vcarried a manifold 9 which in turn supports a lift cylinder I I; In the cylinder II is a vertically moving lpiston I3 located on the upper end of a piston -rod I5. The rod I5 Yextends down through a suitable packing gland in the manifold 9. Below plate 5, the rod I5 dependingly supports an assembly of a reciprocating air engine 4I, a pump 53 and follower plate 63. Thelengine drives pump 53 with which lit is structurally organized as the unit carried on and with a follower 6-3. vPlate 63 has a suitable central opening `ill through which material is drawn by the pump 53. All this is as set'forth in said patent.

In the manifold 9 is an air inlet ypipe ZI'communicating with the lower endof 'the cylinder I I. The upper end of the cylinder also has an air inlet pipe 23. The inlets 2| and Y2iln'pas's to a control valve vV (see also Figs. 8 and 9) lwhichby the operation of a button I9 from one position to another distributes -air alternatively either to the inlet pipe -2-I or to theirllet pipe 23'.

The valve V is shown d-iag'rammatially in down at will by introduction of air below or above Figs 8 and 9 wherein an ail* `conr'iection 2v2 is shown opposite the inlet pipe 2| and a second air connection 24 is shown connected opposite the inlet pipe 23. A valve stem 26 (on which is the handle I9) has therein ports 28 and 29. Port 28 connects pipes 2| and 22 when the valve is moved to the position shown in Fig. 8 (handle I9 up). At this time an exhaust passage 3| permits exhaust from the pipe 23 while pipe 24 is cut oi. In Fig. 9, port 29 (handle I9 down) connects pipes 23 and 24 while pipe 22 being cut oi. means for applying air either below or above the piston I3, while venting the opposite side of the piston to atmosphere. Hence when the button I9 is pushed up, air fiows over pipe 22, .port 28, pipe 2| and to the under side of the piston I3 and lifts the piston, and also the engine 4|, pump 53 and follower 63 carried on rod I5. Then a filled container I may be slipped into place after a former emptied container has been removed. When the handle I9'is pulled down as shown in Fig. 9, then the pipe24 is connected with the pipe23 by way of port 29 and air is supplied above the piston I3. This results in downward biasing force on the follower 63, in addition to the weight of the engine 4I and pump 53 carried thereon. This serves to push or prime the material beneath the follower up into the pump 53. A groove |8| and detent means |33 serve to hold the valve in said position when desired. In this case no air flows nor exhausting takes place.

Air for operating piston I3 and air engine 4| is led in over an air line 6 to a manifold 8 which supplies the pipes 221 and 24. This manifold carries a suitable pressure gauge III. t also has an Voutlet I2 whichl passes through a solenoid valve .I4 to a branch connection I6. From the branch connection, one flexible pipe line I1 leads to the ,air engine 4| and another branch pipe I8 leads to al valve controlling iiow to a second air engine 35 which is shown in Figs. 2-4 and 10. An air connection from the valve 20 to the engine .35 is indicated at 31. The engine 35 is stationary and supported upon the upper plate 5.

The air engine 35 (Figs. 2-4) consists of a cylinder 39 in which is a reciprocating piston 4I] carrying a piston rod 43. The pistonV rod 43 drives a pump plunger 45 operating in a cylinder -pump 41. A lostfmotion driving connection 49 is eiected between the piston 4i! and a valve mechanism shown generally at G. The purpose of the valve mechanism G is to distribute and release air alternately to and from opposite ends of the cylinder 33. lThis valve mechanism may beany of various types and needs not be further `detailed, particularly inasmuch as a similar one has been completely described in the United States Patent 2,215,852 of Victorv G. Klein, dated September 24, 1940. Another such valve mechanism is disclosed in the United States Patent 2,269,423 of Frank S. Barks et al., dated January 13, 1942, for Valve mechanism. It may be noted that the D-valve per se, shown at |5I, which is operated from stem |53, distributes airto inlet.

|55 from supply manifold |54 for driving piston ,40 to drive out `material from pump 4 1 (Fig. 2)

as will-appear. The opposite side of the piston I4I) is at this time exhausted through passage |51 -to the exhaust |59. After the piston 4I) reaches vthe end of its driving stroke the valve I5I is automatically re-set to deliver air from |54 through |51, while exhausting air through |55 and |59. Air under pressure is supplied from connection 31 to compartment |54 via passage |56 (Fig. 4).

Since the valvemechansm Gincluding D-valve pipe 2| exhausts at 33, ,y Thus the Valve V affords -A vThe outlet 52 is connected to a flexible lubricant -hose 51 which leads to the control nozzle N.

Y The nozzle N is detailed in Figs. 5 to 7. It

" consists of a hollow handle 59 through which material flows from hose 51 to an applicator outlet 6I. A control handle or lever 65 oscillates against the end 61 of a control valve 69. The valve 69 is normally biased shut by means of the springV 1I but when pushed by the handle 65 moves to open position (Fig. 6).

On the side of the handle 59 is mounted an electric switch 13 having contacts 15, one of which is provided with an outwardly biased operating stem 11. An extension 19 from the handle B5 cooperates with the stem 11 when the valve 69 is opened in order to close the contacts 15 and vice versa. The contacts are closed just after the valve 69 is completely open. They are also opened just before the valve 69 closes.

The contacts 15 are wired as indicated at 19 with a solenoid valve I4 through a junction box 8|. The circuit is potentially energized by plugging in an outside line into the box 8|. Whenever the contacts 15 are closed, the circuit is closed through the solenoid valve I4 to open said Valve. Opening of the valve I4 conveys air from the manifold to the branch I6, from whence it flows to the movable air engine 4| to start it and also to the stationary engine 35 to start it simultaneously. It may be assumed that at this time the valve V is set so as to impress pressure on the piston I3. Thus when the operator presses upon the nozzle handle 65, the valve 69 is opened and then the contacts 15 are closed. Closing of the contact opens the valve I4 so that both of the engines 4I and 35 start. Hence both pumps 53 and 41 start. Pump 53 delivers fluid over the line to the pump 41. Pump 41 forces the material ahead through the line 51 to flow out of the now open valve 69. No spurting occurs. When the handle 65 is released, the contacts 15 open and valve 69 springs shut, whereupon no further air pressure is available to operate the pumps. The result is that the hose 51 is never under pressure unless the valve 69 is open. This feature results in the elimination ofthe spurting vaction which is associated with nozzles which simply open a lubricant or lmaterial line under pressure. Such lines being composed of expansible materials spurt when opened because of the sudden contraction in the resilient hose material composing the line. This disadvantage is elimi-l nated by means of the present invention.

In view of the above it is clear that both pumps 53 and 41 are single acting and of the full-stroke variety and ow from pump 41 is at least equalled by the flow of from pump 53, but pump 53 reciprocates more slowly by a ratio determined by the dimensions indicated below, for example. 'Ihis slower speed reduces wear on pump 53 and makes Pump 53 is made to reciprocate more slowly than pump 41 by employing a larger volumetric displacement for its driving engine 4I than for engine 35, and feeding both engines with the same pressure of air. The effective area ratio between piston 43 of stationary engine 35 and plunger 45 in pump 41 is the same as the corresponding ratio in the case of movable engine fil and pump 53, so that the outlet pressures for both pumps are the same. Thus pump 4l is not in the nature of the usual booster pump. If, for some reason it cannot forwardl all material which could be received from pump 53, the latter automatically slows down, because of the increase in pressure between the pumps in line 95. Exemplary dimensions are, referring to Fig. Piston 38 of engine il has a 6-inch diameter and an area of 28.274 square inches. Plunger 36 of pump 53 has a l-inch diameter and an area of .7854 square inch. This makes an area ratio of piston 38 to plunger 36 of 60:1.

Piston 40 of engine 35 has a diameter of 4 inches and an area of 12.566 square inches. Plunger 45 has a diameter of 1/2-inch and an area of .1963 square inch. This makes an area ratio of piston 40 to plunger 45 of 60:1. Thus, pump 41 does not act as a booster of pressure but simply breaks up the long surges of pmnp 53. The plunger 36 of pump 53 besides having a larger diameter than plunger 45 also has a longer stroke. The effective stroke of plunger 36 is 2% inches; that of plunger d5 is l inch. Thus, geometrically, the volume per stroke of the pump 53 is greater than that of pump 4l but per unit of time the output of the two pumps is substantially the same, since the smaller one tends to run faster, the supply of air for each being assumed equal.

One object of the invention is to have the pump Lil serve to smooth out any pulsations of flow in the hose 5l. designed to reciprocate at said faster rate than the engine il but it does not boost pressure. The surges that tend to be imposed in the hose 5'! by the slow-operating pump 53 are broken up by the faster but shorter surges of pump 47, as it were, substantially smoothing out the flow pulsations. This feature, taken in combination with the feature of making a smooth start by the starter control associated with the nozzle N serves to provide a smooth and even flow at the start of flow from the nozzle, as well as continually after the ilow is under way.

In addition to the above I provide a regulating valve 32 in the air pipe 24 which ultimately delivers air to the top of the piston I3. This is for the purpose of regulating the downward pressure of said piston l 3 on the follower 63. The purpose of this is so that ample pressure for priming may be lplaced upon the follower for all consistencies of pumpage. For heavier materials, the pressure may be greater. For lighter materials, it should be less and this is because the relatively lighter materials tend to exude up around the edge of the follower 63 if the downward pressure is too great. For convenience the iit between the edges of the followers such as 63 and the drum walls is relatively free. Thus the regulator 32 permits of applying the correct pressure for permitting the follower 63 to be maintained on the upper surface of a material of given consistency, rather than driving it down into said material.

Thus the biasing pressure exerted upon the follower 63 by the piston I3 is controlled, for the purpose of placing the uid under the follower 63 under as great a pressure as possible above that of the atmosphere without deleterious efects. This tends to prime the pump 53 to the most advantageous extent possible, but no more. Thus the control valve 32 in effect controls the priming pressure available at the inlet of the pump 53.

rlhe pump 4i may be referred to as a primary,

This is because the engine is low-speed pump, and pump 35 as a non-boosting, secondary, high-speed pump. .As above stated, the volumetric displacements and pressures of these pumps areequal per unit of time but the rate of operation or reciprocation of pump 35 is higher than that ofp'ump 4I. But it is to be understood that while pump 4l is not indicated herein as being a pressure-boosting pump, it could incidentally be so designed in addition to its flowsmoothing function.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall-be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Pumping apparatus comprising a primary pump, a secondary pump, pneumatic means for operating the pumps including an air supply line, an outlet line, said secondary pump receiving material from the primary pump and delivering it to said outlet line, the volumetric displacements of said pumps being substantially equal per unit cf time, but the rate of reciprocation of the second pump being higher than that of the first, means feeding air to both of said pneumatic means, a control nozzle at the end of said outlet line, a valve in said nozzle, means responsive to opening of said valve to supply air to the air line and comprising a solenoid air valve in the air line, a switch arranged for operation with said outlet valve, said switch being adapted to open said solenoid valve when the nozzle valve is open or to close said solenoid valve when the nozzle valve is closed, and air pressure means for priming said primary pump and pressure control means for said air pressure priming means.

2'. Lubricant pumping apparatus comprising a primary reciprocating plunger pump connected on its suction side to a material supply, a rst plunger in said primary pump a secondary reciprocating plunger pump connected on its suction side with the outlet of said primary reciprocating plunger pump, a second plunger in said secondary pump said secondary reciprocating plunger pump delivering to an outlet, reciprocating air engines for operating said plungers respectively, full-stroke air-operated pistons in said engines respectively which are directly connected to said plungers respectively, the area of said first plunger of the primary pump being larger than the area of said second plunger of the secondary pump, whereby for a given volumetric displacement per unit of time through both pumps the primary pump may function more slowly than the secondary pump, the air piston of the engine connected with the primary pump having an area which is in the same ratio with respect to the area of said rst plunger of the primary pump as is the ratio of the area of the piston of the engine connected with the secondary pump to the area of said second plunger of the secondary pump, and a pressure air supply to both engine pistons which is at the same pressure for each, whereby the larger primary pump will operate more slowly than the smaller secondary pump in a ratio such as substantially to effect said equality of volumetric displacement per unit of time of said pumps.

3. Lubricant pumping apparatus comprising a pump, pneumatic means for operating the pump,

a lubricant outlet line, means connected With said outlet line forsmoothing out surges caused by the pump and comprising a second pneumatic means, an air line feeding air to both of said pneumatic means, a control nozzle at the end of said outlet line, a lubricantvalve in said nozzle, means responsive to opening of said Valve to open the airline and comprising a solenoid air valve in the air line, a switch arranged for operation with said lubricant valve, said switch being wired with the solenoid Valve to open the valve When the lubricant valve is open or to close said solenoid Valve when the nozzle valve is closed, air-pressure means for priming said pump, and pressure control means for said priming means operative independently of said solenoid valve.

LUTWIN C. ROTTER.

VICTOR G. KLEIN. 

